Daryl K is back, according to today’s NY Times. And good for her, she has to be the nicest person in the biz. Her label is re-launching their mysteriously named K189 product line. Forget the Time’s explanation of the name. Here is the real story.

Ms. Kerrigan’s first address in NYC was 234 East 2nd Street (I lived in the same tiny building at the time). Remove “East” from the address and you are left with 2342. Her first store was at 208 East 6th Street, again, remove the “East” and you are left with 2086. Subtract the second number from the first thusly: 2342-2086=256. Take the result and subtract 64, the year she was born, and you are left with 192. Oh yeah, she lived on the 3rd floor on 2nd Street, so subract three and there you are.

Well, the addresses are correct anyway. The actual explantion is in the article.

Up in Boston, fashion hardhead Cam Brown enters his 20th year in a crusade to win a 30 dollar bet by stubbornly wearing a blue shirt and khaki pants every single day for 40 years.

Transylvania needs a new tagline. “A Legendary Land” just doesn’t cut it.

I lost my Amex Blue card at JFK last weekend, and when I called to report it I was told a replacement would be issued in “about 20 days”. The following conversation ensued:

Me: 20 days? (the American Express tag line is “the only card you’ll ever need”) My other Amex cards arrive in 24 hours when replaced.

Amex: The Blue card has a special chip inside that takes longer to produce.

Me: What purpose does the chip serve?

Amex: It provides you with greater security for online transactions, sir.

Me: But when I order online, I type my credit card number into a form, so how does a chip, which the computer never comes in contact with..

Amex: It’s for online security. Is there anything else I can help you with today, sir?

Me: Yes. You can help me understand how a chip embedded in a credit card, a card that is not inserted into anything, makes any difference.

Amex: Sir, I’ve already explained that the chip is for enhanced security purposes when making purchases online. Is there anything else I can assist you with today?

Me: Is there any way to get a replacement card sooner?

Amex: We can send you a temporary card tomorrow morning.

Me: What is temporary about it?

Amex: It doesn’t have the chip.

Me: Should I use it to make purchases on the Internet?

Amex: That’s up to you sir.

Intrigued, I called the application line for Amex Blue. The very nice woman asked me if i had any questions about the card before applying..

Me: What’s the chip for?

Amex: It’s for enhanced security online.

Me: How so?

Amex: (giggling)They don’t tell us that.

The Blue card is the only Amex card with a limit, meaning that its theft causes the least damage of all Amex cards, yet it is the lone card with the “enhanced security chip”.

The Blue chip is causing damage to the American Express brand on several levels:

1. 20 day delay is the opposite of the brand positioning they have carefully built

2. lack of a script they have equipped their employees with doesn’t inspire confidence

3. the chip comes off as a silly marketing ploy that only serves to inconvenience customers

American Express needs to either create a well defined and logical explanation of the benefit of the Blue card’s unique on-board microprocessor, or cash this chip in.